Booking sites

[gillumhouse]

ReservationKey (I use) and many like ThinkReservations. The OTAs are bloodsucking scum who tell YOU how your business is going to be run. Drop them - but if not confidant enough to just do it, remove a room at a time from them and see what happens. Start blogging, doing social media, and talking to places in your area that would likely NEED accommodations (funeral homes - I have a bereavement rate that brings in business), hospitals, area attractions..... IF you have other B & Bs in your area, try working together to help fill each other's rooms. IF there are Festivals, class reunions, family reunions - talk to the organizers to ask how you can help them and if they will list you as a lodging. IF you have a Visitors Center, list with them. I have never listed with an OTA, am in a City of 2300 (no, I did not miss a 0) and am in year #27.

 

[GoodScout]

If you use Boo king, require 100% deposit up front at time of booking. That will keep all the credit card scammers testing out stolen numbers from booking and tying up your rooms, Plus you'll never be SOL on a no-show.

I do this for no other OTA, and they ***** all the time about it, saying I'm losing potential bookings.

Screw that. Do what works for you and screw the OTAs when what they want doesn't work for your business. I use them to my advantage - filling in empty dates and rooms I wouldnt fill otherwise, and promoting the name of my inn. I don't do a single thing that helps them and hurts me. Evah.

 

[Generic]

If you use Booking, require 100% deposit up front at time of booking. That will keep all the credit card scammers testing out stolen numbers from booking and tying up your rooms, Plus you'll never be SOL on a no-show.

I do this for no other OTA, and they ***** all the time about it, saying I'm losing potential bookings.

Screw that. Do what works for you and screw the OTAs when what they want doesn't work for your business. I use them to my advantage - filling in empty dates and rooms I wouldnt fill otherwise, and promoting the name of my inn. I don't do a single thing that helps them and hurts me. Evah.

I use 100% non-refundable deposit on all OTAs. Hey, if I'm losing out a percent, I might as well make up for it with some cancellation fees.

Honestly, I would rather give them back a small amount to get them to cancel, rather than no-show.

One thing that I appreciate with BK is that I can set a 4 hour cancellation policy for after they book, so if they have regrets, it can be undone for 4 hours. But X doesn't seem to have the same setting

 

[Anon Inn]

Squarespace website, ResKey, paid google AdWords, free press from local visitors bureau and free page on FB

I'm considering Squarespace too. My site is performing amazingly well for being so hopelessly out of date. Its winter now, I'm officially retired from my other job, so time to buckle down and get this done. Even with the monthly charge, it will be little more than my existing monthly hosting charge. I understand hosting is built in with Squarespace.
I use Reskey for guest communication.